China plans to capture an asteroid and bring it to Earth



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The researchers proposed an innovative plan to capture a small asteroid and take it with them to Earth. They said that they hope to launch the plan in 2029 and compete with it in 2034. ( SSL / ASU / P. Rubin / NASA / JPL-Caltech )

Can you catch a star shooting and put it in your pocket? Chinese scientists believe that this is not impossible because they plan to capture an asteroid and bring it back to Earth.

A group of astrophysicists proposed an ambitious plan to take a small asteroid close to Earth and carry it to Earth. 19659003] This may seem to come directly from a science fiction novel, but scientists believe that taking a whole asteroid could provide a sufficient source of minerals of industrial and economic importance.

It could also improve current research on the origins of the solar system as well as the beginnings of water and life on Earth, while reducing the threat posed by objects close to the Earth.

China plans to catch an asteroid

an entire asteroid weighing several hundred tonnes, which could turn asteroids with a potential threat to the Earth into usable resources, "says Li Mingtao, a researcher at the National Center Space Science Academy of Sciences of China.

Li and his team put forward the idea at a competition for future technologies held in Shenzhen, south of Guangdong Province in China.

How to catch a falling star

How to capture an asteroid, even one that is smaller than the rest? The team proposes to design a spaceship capable of handling a huge bag that can be used to transport the asteroid to Earth.

The asteroid approaches the planet and activates a thermal shield that will reduce the speed of the asteroid. . This will prevent it from burning as it enters the Earth 's atmosphere.

The spacecraft will then be directed to an area devoid of human settlements where the landing is safe.

Huang Wei, chief engineer of an institute According to the Chinese Academy of Space Technology of China Society of Aerospace Science and Technology, the idea can bring new developments in the & Selon [[[[[[[[[[[[spaceexploration

The challenges of capturing an asteroid

The plan is not without potential challenges. The first would be to find a real asteroid to catch. Most small asteroids are very difficult to detect unless they come very, very close to the Earth.

To solve this problem, Li collaborates with space engineers from the Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology to develop a constellation of satellites with the specific purpose "The team also acknowledged needing to design a heat shield able to dramatically reduce the speed of the asteroid from 7.7 miles per second to 459 feet per second.

They plan to bring him back by 2034

Li and his team are currently eyeing a small asteroid about 62 million kilometers away. It measures a little over 20 feet in diameter and probably weighs several hundred tons.

Before you can launch a plan to capture this object, researchers must know what its components are. Asteroids are rich sources of minerals, such as gold, platinum, copper, iron and nickel.

The team hopes to launch its plan in the space of 2029 and bring back an asteroid to Earth by 2034.

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